Transfer for cigar machines



Aug. 7, 1962 T. A. GODFREY TRANSFER FOR CIGAR MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1959 INVENTOR.

THOMAS A. GODFREY BW ATTORNEY Aug. 7; 1962 T. A. GODFREY 3,048,281

TRANSFER FOR CIGAR MACHINES Filed June 25, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2 52 4 JJ.. f4

INVENTOR.

THOMAS A. GODFREY ATTORN EY.

United States Patent C) M 3,048,281 TRANSFER FR CIGAR MACHMES Thomas A. Godfrey, Elmont, NX., assignor to International Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 25, 1959, Ser. No. 822,813 11 Claims. (Cl. 214-1) This invention relates to the transfer of cigar bunches, and more particularly to the transfer of softer, moister cigarillo bunches. In the manufacture of these softer cigarillo bunches it is necessary tol transfer the molded bunch from the mold turret to the wrapping mechanism. Heretofore, the jaws of the transfer mechanism have been operated by a toggle which caused the `bunches to be grasped with a snapping action. However, vwith cigarillo bunches which must be more gently handled, this snapping action tends to deform and open up the bunches.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to devise a clamping mechanism for transferring bunches that will close and open slowly as it grasps and releases each bunch.

Another object of this invention is to provide a clamping mechanism which has its jaws opened by a relative upward motion of .an extension of one of the jaws.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a bunch clamping mechanism whose jaws remain `open for a period of travel after releasing a bunch to the wrapping rnechanism.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple, rugged, gently acting, and adjustable bunch clamping mechanism having fewer moving parts.

A feature of this invention is the provision of a bunch clamping transfer mechanism having a main jaw with an upper part pivotally mounted on a transfer arm and having a second shorter jaw pivotally secured to the main jaw below the upper part of the main jaw. The second jaw is laterally constrained below its point of attachment to the main jaw so that the upward movement of a lateral projection of the second jaw causes it to pivot about its point of lateral constraint and swing7 the main jaw in the opposite direction.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a latch which will hold the jaws of the clamping mechanism in the open position when they are opened to release a bunch to the wrapping mechanism and which will be inoperative when the jaws open and then close to clamp and grasp a bunch as it is ejected from the mold turret.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts involved in the embodiment of the invention and its practice otherwise as will be understood from the following description .and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a front view of the bunch clamp-ing mechanism mounted on a transfer arm positioned over a broken away portion of a mold turret and with the broken away end of the transfer .arm shown in two intermediate positions and in position over a fragment of a wrapping mechanism after releasing a bunch;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a portion of the transfer arm with the bunch clamping mechanism shown receiving a bunch from a mold turret which is partly brokenaway in section;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 2;l and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the clamping'mechanism mounted on a broken away end of the transfer arm with the trip latch of the mold turret shown below it.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a portion of a mold turret T. This mold turret T Patented Aug.. 7, 1962 ICC may be a conventional unit containing a number of the specially formed grooves 10 from which the bunches B are ejected on the lifting forks 12. These lifting forks 12 .are iixed to project vertically upward from the horizontal plate 13 which is attached to the upper end of the rod 14 by means of the fitting 15. The rod 14 reciprocates vertically to eject each bunch from its groove 10 at the proper time. As shown in FIGS. l, 2 and 4, the turret T also has associated with it a stationary boss 22 containing a slot 2t) within which a slide 1S is-reciprocated by means of rod 24. Since the rod 24 moves upward when the rod 14 is in its uppermost position, the trip lever 16, which is fixed to the slide 18, moves upward when the lifting forks have ejected a bunch B. This trip lever is used in a manner that will be described. As is further shown in FIG. l, the bunches B are transferred to a wrapping mechanism W which may be of the type shown in Wheeler Patent 2,675,810. Since the particular mechanisms T and W do not form an integral part of this invention, .any additional description of their structure and function is not deemed necessary. It is to be noted, however, that the movement of the trip lever 16 is cooperatively utilized in the invention.

FIG. l also shows the central post 26 to which the transfer arm 28 is pivotally attached by the shaft v30. A mechanism which is not shown swings the transfer arm 2S about the shaft 30 from position I to position IV and then back again. The transfer arm 28 also has associated with it a conventional chain and sprocket or other type of drive, such as shown in Clausen Patent 2,334,174, to irnpart a parallel motion t-o the shaft 17 which is journaled in the end of the transfer arm. Thus when the transfer arm 28 is rotated lthrough a given number of degrees, the shaft 17 is rotated bythe drive in the opposite direction for the same number of degrees. A positioning arm 19 is xed to the shaft 17 by its heavier shank portion 23 by any suitable means such as a set screw. Since the shaft 17 has a parallel ino-tion imparted to it, the positioning arm 19 a1- ways remains vertical in all positions lof the transfer arm 28.

` Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the shaft 17 rotatably passes through the heavier upper portion 32 of the main jaw 31. The lower offset portion 33 of the main jaw 31 has the bunch clamp 40 fixed to it. A small shaft 34 is fixed horizontally within the main jaw with a set screw or other suitable means to protrude a short distance on either side. The second jaw 35 consists of two side portions 36 and 37 which are mounted on the shaft 34 and joined at their lower ends to which the bunch clamp 41 is secured. A pin or fulcnnn 25 projects from side 36 of the second jaw and extends into the slot 38 ofthe positioning arm 19. This slot 38 prevents any lateral movement of the pin 25. A positioning arm 42 formed of sheet metal may be fixed to the transfer arm extension 43 to position the mouth piece end of the bunch B as it is held between the bunch clamps 40. and 41. When the bunch B is so held, the mouthpiece 44 may be thrust onto the bunch by the mouthpiece holder 4F* as shown in the patent to Halstead No. 2,827,904 dated March 2'5, 1958. An additional positioning guide 46 is shown fixed to the main jaw 31 to position the front of the bunch.

This clamping mechanism operates as follows. Referring again to FIG. 1, as a bunch is ejected and raised on the lifting forks 12, the trip lever lorrises to its uppermost position. The pin 48, which projects from theside of the second jaw 35, is urged upward as it contacts the trip lever 16. This rthrows the upper part of `the second jaw to the left as the second jaw pivots about the pin or fulcrum 25 which is laterally constrained. This motionfto the left of the upper part of the second jaw, as shown in position I, FIG. 1, moves the shaft 34- to the. left to pivot Ithe entire main jaw 3'1 to the left about the' shaft 17. Thus the bottom of the main jaw 31 moves to the left as it pivots about shaft 17 and the bottom of the second jaws 35 moves to the right as it pivots about the laterally constrained pin or fulcrum 25. This movement opens the bunch clamps 40 and 41 to receive the bunch B. Then, as fthe trip lever 16 sinks downward, the spring 49 pulls the jaws together to gently grip the bunch.

The more forwardly extending portion of the shaft 17 is of a lesser diameter than the rearwardly extending portion so that the shaft 17 has a shoulder. The latch 52 rests against this shoulder so that it is positioned along the shaft 17. The light torsion spring 50, shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, connects the extension 51 of the transfer arm 28 to the latch 52. As the transfer arm moves through positions II and III of FIG. l, the spring 50 is under no tension and moves the freely turning-latch 52 around until it is stopped by the dowel pin 53 which projects from the upward extension S4 of the second jaw. As the transfer arm 28 moves to position IV, the spring 5t? exerts an increasing torque on the latch 52. As the dowel pin 56 contacts the adjustable fixed stop 55 and the arm 28 moves the clamping mechanism further downward, the second jaw 3S pivots in the same manner that has been descirbed in position I to open the jaws. This releases the bunch B to the wrapping mechanism W. However, as the second jaw 35 pivots about the pin 25, the pin `53 on the upward extension 54 moves closer to the shaft 17 to be secured by the latch 52 which is urged downward to hook about it by `the torsion spring 50. Therefore, as the bunch clamp mechanism moves upward from position IV, the latch 52 holds the jaws open.

As the transfer arm 28 moves back from position IV to position III, a release pin 58 projecting from the exten-- sion 51 of the transfer arm 28 rotates relative to the clamping mechanism. As the release pin 58 reaches the latch 52, it raises it releasing the pin 53 and allowing the jaws to close. The spring 50 or the release pin 58 then turns the latch 52` away from the pin 53 so that the jaws may freely open and close in position I where the latch will be inoperative. It may be seen in FIG. 2 that the pins 53 and 58 each extend somewhat less than half way through the thickness of the latch 52 so that the ends of the pins will clear and pass each other as the latch is released. As may be seen in FIG.V 1, position I, the screw 59 holding the clamp 41 extends between the jaws. The threaded shaft 6), with a nut turned over it holding the other clamp 40 in place, acts as ia stop against the screw 59 to limit the closing of the jaws. The proper setting of this stop 60 avoids any excessive squeezing of the bunches by the clamps 40 and 41.

This particular bunch clamping mechanism has many advantages. Since it has only three moving parts with lassociated elements fixed to them, it is rugged in construction, easy to disassemble, and simple to maintain. The only moving parts are the two jaws and the latch. In addition, this clamping mechanism is easily adapted to be used with existing cigar making machinery with minimum alterations.

While I have disclosed my invention in the best form known to me, it will nevertheless be understood that this is purely exemplary and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention except as it may be more limited in the Iappended claims wherein I claim: l. In a cigar machine, a clamping mechanism mounted on a shaft to which there is imparted a parallel motion, said clamping mechanism comprising, in combination, a main jaw having an upper end pivotally mounted on said shaftand having a clamping portion at its lower end, a second jaw pivotally attached to said main jaw between the ends of said main jaw, said second jaw having a lower end clamping portion which may be moved adjacent to the clamping portion of said main jaw when said jaws are pivoted towards each other, a pin projecting forwardly from said second jaw below the point of attachment of said second jaw to said main jaw, a restraining arm fixed to said shaft with a vertical slot in said restraining arm engaging said pin, means urging the clamping portions of said jaws together, and at least one lateral extension of Said second jaw pivoting said jaws apart when said lateral extension is urged upwards.

2. In a cigar machine, a clamping mechanism for use on a transfer mechanism having a transfer arm pivoting between two positions and a shaft journaled in said transfer arm having a parallel motion, said clamping mechanism comprising, in combination, a main jaw having an upper end pivotally mounted on said shaft and having a lower end, a second jaw pivotally attached to said main jaw between the ends of said main jaw, two bunch clamps attached to the lower ends of said jaws, said bunch clamps being moved adjacent to each other when said jaws are pivoted towards each other, a pin projecting forward from said second jaw below the point of attachment of said second jaw to said main jaw, a restraining arm fixed to said shaft with a vertical slot in said restraining arm engaging said pin, spring means urging the lower ends of said jaws together, and at least one lateral extension of said second jaw pivoting said jaws apart when said lateral extension is urged upwards.

3. The combination according to claim 2 with the addition of latch means holding said jaws open when they are pivoted apart in one position of said transfer arm and with the addition of means disengaging said latch means and rendering it inoperative when said transfer arm moves to the other position.

4. In a cigar machine, a clamping mechanism for use on a transfer mechanism having a transfer arm pivoting between two positions and a shaft journaled in said transfer arm having a parallel motion, said clamping mechanism comprising, in combination, a main jaw having an upper end pivotally mounted on said shaft and having a lower end, a second jaw pivotally attached to said main jaw between the ends of said main jaw, two bunch clamps attached to the lower ends of said jaws, said bunch clamps being moved adjacent to each other when said jaws are pivoted towards each other, a pin projecting forward from said second jaw below the point of attachment of said second jaw to said main jaw, a restraining arm fixed to said shaft with a vertical slot in said restraining arm engaging said pin, spring means urging the lower ends of said jaws together, an upward and lateral extension of said second jaw, a latch rotatably mounted on said shaft, a torsion spring connecting said latch to said transfer arm and turning said latch to engage said extension of said second jaw in one position of said transfer arm when said jaws are pivoted apart, means disengaging said latch allowing said torsion spring to turn said latch rendering the latch inoperative as said transfer arm pivots to the other position, and at least one lateral extension of said second jaw pivoting said jaws apart when said lateral extension is urged upwards.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said means disengaging said latch consists of an extension of said transfer arm engaging said latch and turning it as said transfer arm rotates relative to said clamping mechanism.

6. The combination according to claim 5 with the addition of stop means limiting the closing of said jaws.

7. In a transfer in a cigar machine, a clamping mechanism mounted on a moving shaft, said clamping mechanism compirsing, in combination, a main jaw having an upper end pivotally secured to said shaft and having a clamping portion at its lower end, a second jaw pivotally attached to said main jaw between the ends of said main jaw, said second jaw having a lower end clamping portion which may be moved adjacent to the clamping portion of said main jaw when said jaws are pivoted towards each other, an intermediate portion of said second jaw below the point of attachment of said second jaw to said main jaw and above the .clamping portion of said second jaw, restraining means xed to said shaft to engage said intermediate portion of said second jaw preventing relative rotation of said intermediate portion of said second jaw about said shaft, means urging the cl-amping portions of said jaws together, and at least one lateral extension of said second jaw pivoting said jaws apart when said lateral extension is urged upwards.

8. A transfer mechanism in a cigar machine, said mechanism comprising a shaft, a rst of `two coacting cigar bunch gripping means pivotally mounted on said shaft, a second of said two coacting cigar bunch gripping means pivotally mounted on said first gripping means so that both of said gripping means are supported solely by said shaft, fulcrum means secured -to said second gripping means, means for rotating said second means in a first direction about said fulcrum and means responsive to the rotation of said second means for rotating said rst means in the opposite direction about said shaft to open said two coacting cigar bunch gripping means.

9. In a cigar machine, in combination, a transfer mechanism in yaccordance with claim 8 and a continuous source of supply of cigar bunches, said source having a third means responsive to relative movement of said mechanism and said third means for actuating said rst and said second gripping means so as to gently grasp a cigar bunch.

10. In combination, a ltransfer mechanism in accordance with claim 8 and a cigar wrapping device, said wrapping device having a stop for said transfer mechanism,

and means responsive to the engagement of said transfer mechanism said said stop for actuating said rst and said second gripping means through isaid fulcrum, to deposit a cigar bunch in said cigar wrapping device.

1'1. lIn a cigar machine, a transfer for a partially or fully formed cigar, said transfer comprising a rst clamping means and a second clamping means, coacting with said first clamping means, so as to grasp said cigar therebetween, a `first shaft, said first clamping means pivoted on said shaft, a second shaft in said rst clamping means, said second clamping means pivoted on said second shaft, so that both of said gripping means are supported solely by said shaft, a projection on said second clamping means, means for restricting the motion of said projection so as to form thereof a fulcrum, and means for separating said r'st clamping means from said second clamping means, by rotating said second clamping means in a first sense about said fulcrum, while actuating said second shaft to rotate said first clamping means in a sense, opposite from said first sense, about said rst sha-ft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,740,575 Clausen Dec. 24, 1929 1,786,608 Halstead Dec. 30, 1930 2,331,905 Halstead Oct. 19, 1943 2,389,256 Halstead Nov. 20, 1945 2,810,969 Harris Oct. 29, 1957 2,832,478 Malewicz Apr. 29, 1958 

